


Pruning Roses

by Pathfinder (Coffeeaftermidnight)



Series: Horrors au [6]
Category: Creepypasta - Fandom, Horrors AU (creepypasta)
Genre: Brian Tim Jay and Alex are all proxies with various amounts of amnesia, Imprisonment, Kidnapping, Multi, Polyamory, Torture, Violence, horrors au, loose Marble Hornets au, not a manor au but a manor is involved, spoilers not tagged
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:46:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26035882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coffeeaftermidnight/pseuds/Pathfinder
Summary: Briar, the youngest Horror, disobeys her mentor and enters the mysterious Forest alone. It's a mistake. Captured by the Slenderman's proxies, enemies of the Horrors, she finds herself imprisoned for a crime she doesn't remember committing against them. With no idea where the other Horrors are, and at the mercy of her captors, Briar is going to have to summon all the courage she has to survive where many others haven't. Maybe, though, she isn't as alone as she thinks.--Part of the Horrors AU, a dystopian AU where creeps, called Horrors, are at war with both humanity and Slenderman's proxies. Might not be the best introduction to the AU, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask me in the comments or at world-of-horrors-au on Tumblr. Hope you enjoy!
Relationships: polyhorrors
Series: Horrors au [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1537990
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title credit to whatadandydemise on Tumblr. Thank you, and thanks to everyone who beta read this story! Updates will come on the blog first at world-of-horrors-au on Tumblr but will eventually be posted here, once I get caught up. Which won't be hard, there's only two chapters released so far.

Her family wasn’t waiting for her when she got home from work. No texts from Ben, or Jeff, no notes from Eyeless or Laughing Jack. Never a good sign. Briar changed out of her work clothes into her normal attire, glancing out the window every few minutes to see if they were waiting. There was nothing. 

Jeff told her to never enter the Forest alone. The animals were the least of her worries. The Tall Man’s proxies were smarter than any animal, and far more inclined to cruelty. She was the youngest Horror, still coming into her power, easy pickings for the more aggressive of them. What they might do to her, Jeff never said, but the look in his eyes suggested he’d found out personally.

Still, as night fell and no one reached out, she worried. Did something happen? Had they been captured? Did a killing run go wrong? There was nothing on the news about it. Capturing such famous Horrors would be repeated everywhere, on national and local news. Something wasn’t right.

Briar took her bat and entered the Forest.

The Forest glowed at night, soft illumination coming from moss on the trees and midnight flowers. Stars like she'd never seen peaked through the interlocking canopy, and moonlight fought its way through. Part of her wondered if she should've brought a flashlight, but that would've definitely attracted unwanted attention. The last thing she needed was to catch the eye of a predator.

But luck had never been on her side.

He stood in the darkness, she almost missed him. Briar stopped, heart picking up, and pressed against a tree. It wasn’t the Thin Man, no, it was one of his army. The clothes gave him away, even though she couldn’t see the dark mask under the hood. She swallowed. That was the leader of the proxies, wasn’t it? They called him Hoodie. 

She teethed the inside of her lip. Had he heard her tramping through the Forest? She hadn't been quiet about it. Jeff thought it was more important for her to learn how to sneak through houses than the outdoors. What was he even doing out here, alone at night? Were the other Proxies around? The idea of meeting them churned her stomach. She'd heard stories about them all from the others. Masky's bad temper. Beastie's relentlessness. Kate scratching out eyes with her claws. Toby's…  _ everything _ . The only one that wasn't feared was Skully, but even he killed without mercy or regret. And they’d said Hoodie was the strongest of them all.

The man wasn’t doing anything. He lingered by the tree, running a hand over its moonlit-paled bark. Briar tensed, preparing. She was a Horror, he wasn’t. If she had to, she could outrun him. That was how half of the encounters went, one side choosing to run instead of fight. She was going to be okay, she told herself. She could survive this.

Wood snapped not far away. Briar jerked towards the sound. Saw nothing, the Forest quieting again. She looked back to Hoodie, and he stared right back.

Briar ran.

Trees rushed by, plants and dead leaves crushing under her feet as she ran. She didn’t look back, she kept her eyes forward, her mind focused. Nothing mattered more than escape. The Forest was quiet, her panting as loud as her footsteps to her ears. She couldn’t hear anyone following.

She thought, he must’ve decided to leave me alone. He must’ve had more important things to worry about. But she still didn’t stop. It was only when she reached a small clearing that she slowed down, the deer on the edges scattering at the sight of her.

Running through the undergrowth was a lot different than on concrete. Briar liked to think she was healthy, kept up good habits, exercised often, but she still fell forward, one hand grasping her knees, panting, panting. Was it really just exhaustion causing her to run low on air? Or was it the fear crawling up the back of her neck that made her ache so?

She must've lost him. She hoped she lost him. That he didn't follow her this far into the Forest. She'd heard nothing behind her, and no one could move that quietly, could they? Especially not in the dark like this. She was safe. She had to be safe. 

Briar looked behind her, in time to see the masked man aim the rifle at her body.

The bullets went over her head, Briar dropping into the dirt moments before it was too late. Her heart lodged itself in her throat. She heard the soft curse from him even at her distance, and scrambled back towards the safety of the trees. She couldn't outrun bullets. Like always, she'd have to out-think him.

Another shot, it grazed her arm but she barely felt the pain. She gripped the bat like the lifeline it was. A kind of plan formed in her mind, half-assed, more images than logical thought. Hiding in the trees, getting behind him, slamming the bat into his head. She couldn't run forever, she had to fight back.

Her heart clenched. What if the proxies had done something to her family?

Dirt under her nails, the trees pressing closer around her than they felt before. Now she could hear him, plant life crunching under his feet, eldritch growls leaving his hidden throat. He must want me dead, Briar thought, why else would he have that rifle? If Jeff were here, he'd know what to do. If she died here, none of them would find her body. Their faces passed through her mind, and her heart went cold. No, she wouldn't die here. She would kill Hoodie first.

She ducked behind a tree, held her breath. The longer she listened the louder the footsteps became. He must know something's wrong, she thought, knuckles white on the bat. He's waiting for me to break. They came from the side, boots crushing life under his frame, and she saw him so clear, so close, that she could see the texture of his signature clothing.

Briar struck.

Her bat hit the side of his face. He roared in pain, staggering. She didn't hold back, screaming herself as she swung the bat again. Hoodie twisted, she hit his torso, he raised an arm to block the next blow, she hit with all the strength she had. Oh god, she thought, he's as tough as me. Any normal human would have died on the first blow. I have to fight harder.

The rifle tumbled from his grip, but didn't go off again. Hoodie lunged. The bat missed. His larger form knocked her into the dirt. Briar screamed again, like a rabbit caught in a trap.

"Give up," Hoodie snapped. His fingers gripped her arm, she felt the bruises forming already. His other hand wrapped around the bat. "Let go."

"No!" She shouted.

Horrors were stronger than any human, but he was not a normal human either. His gloves brushed against her bare fingers, his grip better than hers. Briar cried out, the bat pulled free. Hoodie threw it aside, she heard it slam into wood.

"Give up!" Hoodie shouted.

"Go to hell!" She wouldn't die so easily. Briar jerked her knee up, burying it into his side. A gloved hand wrapped around one of her wrists, but with her other, she slammed the side of her hand into his throat. That worked, he gagged. With as much strength as she could summon, she shoved him off. She had to get her bat. 

Two paces away from it, her hand already reaching to snatch it from where it lay, something slammed into her back. Briar dropped. A boot pressed down on the small of her back, and the muzzle of the rifle pressed against her head. She knew then it was over.

"Give up?" Hoodie asked. Briar didn't answer, panting. Her body ached everywhere.

He nudged her with the muzzle. "Do you give up?" He said in a voice that would not be denied.

She nodded.

"Say it," he ordered.

"I give up," Briar whispered into the dirt.

"Louder," he said.

"I give up!" She shouted, and swallowed a sob. Hoodie grunted.

"Good." 

The pressure on her back increased, he was kneeling down. He took one of her wrists and pulled her arm behind her back. Something metal clicked.

"You have no idea the trouble you've caused us," Hoodie said. Briar swallowed. The handcuffs snapped on. "We're going to make sure you don't cause us any more trouble again."

"What did you do to my family?" She asked, voice shaking.

"The hell are you talking about?" Hoodie pulled her other arm behind her back. "We didn't do anything to them." And she heard the smile in his voice with his next words. "But we're gonna do a lot to you."

Her heart raced. What were they going to do to her? 

His hand fished in her pocket. Briar felt him pull her phone free, but said nothing. In the darkness, she couldn't see where it landed, but it sounded close to the tree her bat was by. She exhaled hard. She had to be brave.

"Alright you," he gripped both her arms. "Let's go."

Hoodie pulled her to her feet. Briar grunted, stumbling, but he gave her no mercy. With one hand he held the rifle, the other he gripped one of her arms.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he said, and pulled her arm. Briar had no choice but to follow.

As their footsteps faded, Briar's phone lit up. A ringtone echoed through the trees, unheard by the two, now long gone. Jeff called, and kept calling, until Briar's phone died.


	2. Into the Wolves' Den

No one ever told her proxies were as strong as Horrors. There was no way to pull away from Hoodie's grip. Not that she wanted to try. The moonlight glinted off the rifle in his other hand. He'd been willing to use it before on her. Even if she somehow got away, he'd shoot her down before she could get far. And then, what would happen to her? Would he carry her away? Or would he shoot her in the head? Even a Horror couldn't survive that.

Briar had no choice but to follow him wherever he was taking her.

They were the loudest things in the Forest. More her than him. Hoodie dodged past trees and avoided branches with skilled practice. Everything broke under Briar's feet. She was trained to sneak through buildings, not nature. If it annoyed Hoodie, he didn't say it. He didn't say anything to her at all.

She drew in a breath, tasting the wood and heat in the air.

"Are you going to kill me?" Briar asked.

"Shut up," Hoodie said. The iron grip tightened, and she cringed. "No," he added, his grip relaxing. "But if you don't do what we want, you'll wish we would."

Swallowing, Briar nodded. Do what they want. Do whatever they wanted. What other choice did she have? They could hurt the others if she acted out. He says they wouldn't kill her, but that didn't mean much. Jeff taught her all about the things you could do to someone without killing them.

Oh, Jeff… her heart ached at the thought of her mentor. If only she'd listened to him. 

“Please,” she said, looking at him. “Something’s wrong. Do you know where-"

“Are you deaf?” Hoodie snapped. “I said shut up!”

Briar flinched away. Hoodie took a deep breath.

“I’ve noticed it too,” He said, in a steady, growling voice. “I know your friends are gone. But it’s not my job to care about them. I have my orders, and they involve getting you taken care of.”

She shuddered. 

“If you say anything else,” Hoodie said, tone darkening, “Without me addressing you first, I’m going to break your leg and make you walk the rest of the way there. Keep your mouth shut. Got it?”

Images of her teenage years flashed through her head. When she was fifteen, she’d dislocated her knee at a survivor’s camp. The camp’s major decided the injury was her own fault, and told the medics not to help her. The next two weeks were agony, Briar barely able to move, but still forced to walk and stand and sit with the others. They told her the pain was her weakness leaving her body. It was only when they were short on hands that the major decided to have her knee popped into place to help build the security wall. Her biological family wasn’t there to help her, just like her real family wasn’t here to save her now.

She’d never forgotten what it was like to dislocate her knee. And breaking a leg was worse. Now her body healed faster than before, so it wouldn’t be two weeks of suffering, but if she could avoid any extra pain… Was that considered cowardice? Then she must be a coward.

Briar nodded. Hoodie snorted, yanked her forward, and walked faster through the trees. She forced herself to keep up.

She knew the Forest was massive, and maybe it was the fear talking, but this walk seemed to take longer than any she'd taken before. The silence hurt. All the questions she had circled through her head, like echoes. She wanted Jeff. She wanted Eyeless Jack and Ben, and Laughing Jack, too, even if he drove her crazy. What was she going to do? How was she going to survive this? She should've listened to Jeff…

Through the trees, light caught her eye. Briar tensed, refocusing her attention. Wherever he was taking her must be up ahead, and if she got out and wanted to find it again, she had to focus.

She wasn't prepared for it.

Briar had only seen buildings as big as this in the cities. She'd heard about old manors, pre-fall mansions, that could've housed over twenty people, and employed over fifty just to take care of it. Huge and gray, it stood as tall as the trees, three stories of windows and balconies, carved monsters perched on the roof, beautiful and hideous, a disaster of design and existence. It shouldn't still be standing, ivy clutching every wall, glass windows shattered or missing. The wood was rotting, the brick crumbling. And yet there were lights on, she could see them shine by either side of the front door. How? 

Her feet almost stumbled on the first stone but Hoodie didn't let her fall, hauling her up and forward. Briar's stomach twisted, looking down at her shoes as they stumbled over the once impressive pavement, now overgrown with weeds and grass.

They live here, Briar thought. Like Jeff told me.

Hoodie was taking her to the other proxies, and what was going to happen to her then? Would they tear her apart like they did when they executed a Horror? Or would it be a slow torture, a gradual fall into despair, or worse? 

As they stepped up the stairs, someone laughed from the inside. Briar inhaled the hot summer air and bit her lip. She couldn’t show fear. She had to be like Jeff. But as Hoodie yanked the door open, and a cold breeze slammed into her face, Briar realized a stoney expression wasn’t going to happen.

The entry hall went silent as they crossed into the manor. Goosebumps pricked along her skin, Briar shivering in the sudden chill. She didn’t look up at the assembled proxies but she felt their eyes, their surprise, on her. Briar kept her eyes to the floor, following Hoodie as he led her deeper into the manor without a word to his allies. He bypassed the stairs, heading down a hall, and behind them, footsteps followed.

She only looked up when they came to a stop. A generic brown door stood in front of her. Hoodie yanked it open. Releasing her arm, he shoved her back, hard enough to bruise. Crying out, Briar fell into the room, hitting the dirty floor with a pained yelp. A shadow fell over her, and with a click she could feel, gloved hands removed the handcuffs. The shadow straightened again and behind her, the door slammed shut. She twisted to look over her shoulder just in time to hear something lock.

“That takes care of that,” Hoodie said on the other side. “For now.”

“What the hell are you thinking?!” A man shouted. “Why did you bring her here?!”

“You know damn well why I did, Masky,” Hoodie replied. “She’s not going to give us any more problems now. The plan can continue without being interrupted for the third fucking time.”

Briar pushed herself up to her hands and knees, turning to press against the door to listen.

“So you kidnapped her,” the man replied, the anger burning in his voice. “To get her out of the way.”

“We’re not keeping her, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Hoodie said. “She’s not a pet. We teach her a lesson about minding her own business, finish the plan, and let her go. She’s smart. She’ll learn.”

“Hoodie, how are we going to feed her? We barely have enough food for ourselves,” Masky said. “And none of our dungeons are ready for prisoners. The only one with a shower is still wrecked after Toby’s bullshit.”

“I said I’d fix it!” A third, younger male voice said, and Briar winced. “I’ve got the stuff. I just don’t have enough hands.”

“Could’ve said you needed help,” Masky said.

“Easy,” Hoodie warned. “Beastie, Skully, you’re going to help Toby fix the dungeon. Kate, you’re going to get her supplies. Masky, you and I are going grocery shopping - tomorrow. We don’t need to worry about her tonight.”

“Thank the reaper,” a woman, Kate presumably, said in a dry voice.

“We’re just going to leave her in there all night?” Masky said.

“Yeah,” Hoodie said. “She’s a Horror, she’ll manage. Though since you give a shit, you get first dibs.”

“What? No!” Masky said.

“Shut up, I’m being nice. The rest of you have to wait your turns, got it?”

The group beyond the door grumbled, their voices blending together to the point Briar couldn’t understand what they were saying. Their voices joined with their footsteps, fading into the silence that surrounded her. Briar pulled away from the door.

She wasn’t in a big room. Actually, it was probably a large closet. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness as she listened to the conversation, but looking around revealed very little. A few empty boxes, a pile of rags in the corner, that was it. And it wasn’t any warmer than the entryway had been.

Briar leaned against the door and hugged herself. Her eyes closed. They weren’t going to kill her. They’d let her go but only after they’d ‘taught her a lesson’, a phrase she’d heard before in her life, and it never failed to make her sick to her stomach. A long term stay, long enough to need food, supplies, a bathroom. God, how could she have let herself be captured? What was she going to do?

Still hugging herself, Briar pulled away from the door and paced. Whatever the proxies were going to do to her, it would hurt, and there wasn’t much she could do about it. They wanted revenge - but for what? She’d only seen the proxies in passing outside of skirmishes in and out of the Forest. Had she angered them somehow? They acted like she knew what she was doing the whole time, but she couldn’t think of anything she’d done to them. She certainly never attacked first, and if she learned about a plan, she wouldn’t try to stop it, she’d try to learn more about it and tell the others.

The others… Briar wiped a hand over her face. The men she loved, and who loved her and each other. Where were they right now? Were they hurt? Were they captured? Were they… dead? No, she wouldn’t think about that, she wouldn’t even consider that. They couldn’t be dead, and they weren’t going to die. They survived the Horrors War, whatever happened, they could survive. And she could survive this ordeal, even if it hurt.

She pressed her forehead against the cold, off white wall. The hardest part would be sleeping, if she could, was allowed, to sleep at all. It’d been months since she last slept alone. There was nothing sexual about it, Horrors cuddled when they slept, a tangle of limbs and breathing under the sheets. Usually it was Jeff, sleeping next to her back to back. Sometimes it was Eyeless Jack, with Jeff or alone with her. Laughing Jack rolled on top of her sometimes in the night, his body as light as a teddy bear. Ben didn’t sleep but he’d let her put her head in his lap while he played his games. And when they could, they’d all pile into her bed at once. And it was nice. It was right.

The tears burned her eyes. There was no one to see them, but she fought them at first. But her body always won. The tears flowed down, hot against her chilled skin. Briar swallowed a sob. She couldn’t let them hear her, she wouldn’t give them that pleasure. 

Stumbling towards the pile of rags, Briar collapsed into it, leaning into the corner behind her. She covered her face with both hands, and let herself hurt.

I’ll get out, she comforted herself as she wept in silence. This isn’t my end. I’ll get out.

And if the eyes watching from the darkness judged her for crying, they were quiet about it.


	3. A Jealous Hand

The door opened. Briar’s head jerked up.

She’d lost track of time. Maybe she’d even fallen asleep. There was no time in this closet, only a silent darkness, low scrapings in the wall and loud, distant laughter. Maybe this was punishment enough, trapped like an animal until her thoughts drove her insane.

Behind the figure was darkness, allowing Briar to see the woman without pain. The proxy, Kate, stared back at Briar, and it was impossible to tell if the dark circles under her eyes were natural or some kind of paint. Her hoodie was different, not like Jeff’s infamous one now, but one that zipped up. Still white, though, and left open, revealing a pastel blue shirt that said ‘invincible’ in all caps. Briar’s eyes fell to the woman’s hands, and the item she held.

Without a word, Kate tossed the plastic bag, bearing the name of a long vanished grocery store chain, into Briar’s lap. Briar looked into it. Her stomach rumbled. Food, still warm, in little plastic baggies.

“Eat all of it,” Kate said, and her voice held no emotion. 

Briar looked up at her. Her mouth was watering, but her mind worried.

“What is it drugged with?”

Kate placed a hand on one hip. “Weakeners,” she said. “So you can’t fight back or break out of here until we’re done with you.”

A shiver went up Briar’s spine. “How do you know they work?”

“They worked on your boss Jeff,” Kate said. “And you’re a younger Horror than he was when we caught him.”

Swallowing, Briar looked down at the bag and its contents. Her stomach ached, like it did when she was a refugee during the War. She’d never wanted to feel that way again.

“If you don’t eat willingly,” Kate said, “I’m allowed to do whatever I want to make you.” She tilted her head back, her eyes cold. “What’s it gonna be?”

Briar exhaled. She looked at the bag, and ate. Wherever the drugs were in the food, whether in the sandwich or the fries, or in the bottle of water, she didn't taste anything. Actually, she barely tasted the food at all. 

When she finished, Kate pushed away from where she leaned against the door.

"Don't bother throwing it back up once I leave. The drugs work fast and we won't feed you again if you do. Leave the bag on the floor, we'll pick it up after we move you."

Kate turned away, only to look over her shoulder.

"You're lucky Hoodie gave you to Masky," she said with a grim smile. "If it were me, I'd spend tonight seeing all the colors that pretty face of yours can turn."

The door shut, and the lock clicked. Briar listened to the footsteps until they faded away. She looked down at the bag in her lap and picked it up. Squashing it into a ball, she threw it as hard as she could into the wall across from her. It was better than nothing.

Briar pulled her legs into her chest and wrapped her arms around them. The darkness suffocated, she closed her eyes so she didn't have to see it. She let out a shaky exhale.

"I want to go home," she whispered.

If the guys were okay, would they come rescue her? If they were free, and intact, would they track her down? Would they find out who took her? Would they even be able to find this manor to take her back? Briar set her teeth. There was no telling how long the Proxies would keep her here. What if they never let her go?

She shivered. Her clothes weren't meant for temperatures like in this manor. She was dressed for summer nights spent around campfires, listening to insects and the laughter of loved ones. She didn't even have a jacket. If she asked for a jacket, would they have enough pity on her to give her one? Or was this just another form of torture?

Stop thinking, she told herself. Worrying won't save your life. You've been cold and hungry and desperate before. You can handle this.

I can handle this, she thought.

Pulling her arms into her short-sleeved shirt, she wrapped them around herself like she did as a teen. The rags smelled like dog as she laid down on them but they were still softer than leaves and grass. Closing her eyes to the darkness around her, Briar counted backwards from 100, picturing the shape of each number in her mind. Sleep didn't come easily, but it did eventually come.

Something cold wrapped around her wrists. A soft click reached her ears. Briar grunted, a similar chill wrapping around her heart as she awoke. Handcuffs, she thought. Her blurry eyes looked between her wrists, the door left half open, and the vague, crouching human shape in between her and the door.

Someone chuckled. Briar snapped awake. Toby.

"Morning," he said, and in the darkness she saw the smile on his face. "Did I wake you? Course I did. I thought you'd wake up when I opened the door, but you were sleeping pretty hard. Guess you haven't developed your war instincts yet."

He reached out a hand. Briar winced back, cringing as he patted her head.

"You'll be sleeping even better once Masky gets done with you," Toby said. "If I let him."

What was that supposed to mean? She really didn't want to find out.

"Wh… why are you here?" She whispered.

"What a good question!" Toby said with false approval. "Didn't say you could speak, though, but whatever. I'll let it go this time."

Toby reached into his pocket. Briar braced. Instead of a weapon, he pulled out a single cigarette and an old pewter lighter. He placed the cigarette between his teeth, and lit the end. Toby took a deep breath, and coughed, hard. He pulled the cigarette from his mouth as he coughed, Briar's eyes widening with alarm. After a deep breath, he laughed.

"He's gonna kill me when he finds out I took one of his cigs," Toby said. "Fucking whatever though. He owes me."

He shifted his legs, sitting cross legged on the floor. Toby tilted his head, and looked down at her. Briar swallowed

"I came because I wanted to see what Jeff sees in you," he said. "You know you're not the first Horror he's trained, right?"

Briar nodded. His lips curled up

"So he talked about me? That's good. I hope he's said nice things about me."

The man took another drag of the cigarette.

"I bet it's nice having a girl around, for Jeff and his gang. I haven't seen a girl Horror in… ages. A different perspective, a different hole…" 

Toby lifted his head up and exhaled the smoke into the air. Briar's eyes watered at the smell.

"But let's be real here, Briar," he said. "There's no contest. Between you and me, I'm the better one. The better hunter, the better forager, the better lover. He's too stubborn to see it."

Sucking in a breath, Briar pressed back into the wall. No conversation that started like this was going to end well for her. 

Leaning back on one hand, Toby sighed and took another breath on the stick. "He's so damn proud. He doesn't know it but he is. It gets in the way of everything. If he'd stop fighting God, everything would go great, for all of us. But he won't let go. He thinks he can fight God and win." He laughed lightly. "I used to find that arrogance attractive, but now, I just want to lock him up somewhere until he sees the light."

He looked down at her. "You get me, right?"

Briar shook her head. They'd told her Toby was insane but she never thought this was how it showed.

Toby rolled his eyes. "Kids. Can't expect too much out of you. You're, what, not even two years old yet? Pathetic." He tapped the ash off the end of his cigarette onto the floor. "If Horrors weren't sterile you'd have a use, but right now? No way. It would be better in the long run for Jeff to kill you."

Tears formed in her eyes. Briar grit her teeth against them and looked away. Jeff would never…

"He doesn't need another useless mouth to feed. You're two years old and you're a complete unknown. No track record, no enemies, no urban legends about you. Have you even killed ten humans? Five? Get real. When I was your age, I'd killed fifty. Well, give it take. Who was counting?"

"I'm not useless," Briar said, looking up at Toby. "Just because I don't have a reputation doesn't mean-"

His hand whipped out. Briar cried out in pain as his hand slapped her cheek. Her head hit the floor, sending more pain through her skull, and she bit down a desperate sob.

"Did I fucking tell you to talk?" Toby said. She heard him take another drag on the cigarette. "Anyway, like I was saying: people like you are better as compost. You'd grow great roses."

Briar closed her eyes. Maybe she could just shut him out…

"But I'm not allowed to kill you," Toby said. Briar's eyes opened. "Nobody is. God wants you left alive."

She looked back at him, hoping her eyes would say enough. The Slenderman wanted her alive? Why?

"I don't get it either." Toby tapped out the ashes again. "Far as Hoodie can tell, you're a part of some big plan. Or maybe he's gonna turn you into a proxy later." He shrugged. "Who knows?"

Her, a proxy? She shuddered.

Toby laughed. "Yeah, I hope not! That's gonna make all of this-" he waved the hand holding the cigarette around. "Really awkward, eh?"

He looked down at her, his smile turning into a predator's grin.

"Really, really awkward."

His hand snatched out again, digging into her hair and yanking her head back. Briar cried out, twisting. The rags she laid on curled into knots under her, and the slick floor didn't give her any help. She looked up at him, at his sharp smile, and her eyes widened. He was bringing the cigarette towards her face.

"No-" Briar said.

"Shut up," he said.

The cigarette was still red on the end, heat burning through it. Oh god, she thought. He's trying to put it out in my eye. Briar squeezed her eyes closed, jerking her head as much as she could. She felt the heat of it just under her eye and twisted her head up-

She screamed.

Toby twisted the cigarette into her cheek, putting it out on her skin. He pulled the butt away but she couldn't see what he did with it. Tears streamed down her face, hot liquid burning the singed flesh under her right eye. She sobbed. It hurt.

"Aww, I missed," Toby said. "That would've made you a lot more interesting as a person."

He dropped her hair and she hit the floor. Briar tried to swallow her cries. It hurt. It hurt worse than any burn she'd ever gotten. Worse than any stabbing she'd ever received. It hurt. It hurt.

"Oh, whatever," Toby said. "Not like I'm here trying to improve you anyway."

The punch rattled her teeth, pain shooting through her jaw. Briar opened her eyes. She thought, if I were human that would've killed me. It was the only thought she had before another punch followed.

Blood spilled from her nose, coating Toby's bare hands. He laughed and the sound pressed against the walls of her skull. Another punch, pain spilling through her upper chest. She gasped for air but it was too late, the next punch hit her lungs. Briar sucked in as much air as she could, and began to scream.

He didn't tell her to stop. If anything it felt like her screams encouraged him. The bruises formed moments after his fists landed. Her gut, her chest, her face, her neck. Briar screamed through the pain. She raised her cuffed hands to protect her face but he yanked them down, bruises forming under his fingers, and punched her nose until she heard the crunch. Pain merged with her mind until there was nothing left. Until there was nothing but her screams and the muted crack and crunch of breaking bones.

He's going to kill me, she thought, but she knew it was worse than that. He wouldn't disobey the Slenderman. He was getting her warmed up for the rest of her stay.

Her throat gave up. Briar slumped onto the ground. Through the darkness she saw Toby raise his fist again.

Another hand caught it.

"Toby! What the fuck are you doing?!"

Her head was full of blood, but she recognized the voice. Briar watched, gasping for air as the second person threw Toby back away from her.

"Oh. Hey Masky," Toby said, impossibly calm. "You're back early."

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Masky shouted. "What the hell did you do to her?"

"Don't be so pissy," Toby said. "I wasn't gonna kill her. I was just having some fun. What, don't you like your meat tenderized? She'll probably be healed up in a week and it'll be like nothing happened."

"You bastard," Masky hissed. "You waited until I was gone to break in here. You wanted me away so you could fuck her up, and for what?"

Toby didn't answer. Briar looked at the ceiling.

"For what Toby?" Masky shouted. There was still no reply. "... Are you jealous?"

"Fuck you!" Toby shouted, anger in his voice. "Fine. Fine. I'll take my cuffs and get out of here. But you should know better than to get attached. We're not keeping her."

"I don't want her as a pet anyway," Masky snapped.

Toby grumbled something, but she heard him stand up. Briar closed her eyes and lay limp. His fingers were sticky with blood from her nose, but they forced the cuffs off anyway. Toby made a sound like he was going to say something to her, but he seemed to change his mind. 

Briar opened her eyes and looked up as he walked away. Toby vanished through the door, but Masky lingered. She couldn't see his eyes through the mask even without the tears still falling from her eyes. For a moment, she almost thought Masky was going to say something. But he shook his head and closed the door behind him.

In the darkness, alone, Briar closed her eyes again. She sobbed. Oh god, it hurt it hurt it hurt. The pain burned through her, throbbing and aching and swelling. There wasn't a single part of her that didn't hurt, even her legs.

The tears came again, flowing fresh down her face. Briar tried to pull her limbs into her body, but doing that just made it all hurt worse.

"Eyeless," she whispered. "Jeff. Guys. Help me."

I miss you, she thought. I miss you all so much. I wish you could hear me.

But no one could hear her. No one but her.


	4. The Savage Beast Soothes

Scratching, scratching. Sniffing, sniffing. Briar woke up cold, an iron hammer pounding inside her head, but aware of everything despite the pain. Scratching, sniffing, clicks and ticks. There was something nearby.

Toby had a pet. She'd never seen it herself but Eyeless Jack had. Said it was a wolf, the strangest he'd ever seen. Black as night with golden eyes, it followed him through the Forest when he got too close to the Proxies' territory. Jack said it growled like a beast twice its size. Toby called it Fury. Told Jeff it was the most dangerous being he'd ever met.

Scratching, sniffing, getting closer. Briar lay limp, barely breathing in her spot on the floor. Her heart pounded in time with her head. Something moved on the other side of the wall. Metal scraped and shifted. She tried not to tense, tried not to breathe too hard. Maybe if she played dead, it would go away.

An animal grunted in the darkness. Something huffed, sneezed. Briar squeezed her eyes shut. Fur scraped against the wall, and deadly claws tapped against the wooden floor. 

Briar exhaled, listening, listening. This room was too small, it was almost on top of her already. She heard it pause, and in the silence, growl. And the noise echoed in the tiny room. Her whole body shuddered. She was absolutely dead.

Hot breath rushed over her face. A warm nose brushed against her cheek. Briar couldn't stifle the whimper. It all hurt too much to hide anymore. 

The animal whuffed against her skin.

A warm, rough tongue brushed against her cheek.

Briar shook, waiting for the teeth to settle into her skin, but they didn't. The animal lapped at her in an oddly familiar way, moving from her cheek, to her arms, her shoulder and neck. 

Her eyes opened. The wolf was everything Eyeless Jack said. Big, black, looming in the darkness… but its eyes were closed, and the catlike tongue brushed over her skin.

Catlike. Briar's eyes widened. The wolf was licking up the blood spilled from the beating she'd gotten. Was it hungry? Or was she being… groomed?

"What are you doing?" She whispered.

The wolf opened its eyes and looked at her. Briar couldn't look away. It was like looking into the eyes of another Horror. This wasn't a normal animal. There was intelligence in those eyes. And maybe she didn't understand but… she swore there was compassion in them.

Letting out a shaky breath, Briar raised a hand to the wolf's head. Her fingers buried into the thick fur by the wolf's ears. She curled her fingers, scratching. The dark form of the wolf's tail lifted, and wagged. A deep rumble came from the being's chest. It couldn't be, she thought. Is it… is she… purring?

Fury's eyes closed. Her head tilted into Briar's hand, the loud rumble a comfort Briar knew so well. Memories of her teen years, her beloved cat Captain curled next to her chest, flooded into her mind. Her eyes closed.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

She felt Fury move, and opened her eyes in time to see the Beast lie down on the floor beside her. Fury rested her head on top of Briar's and sighed. She was so warm… Briar pressed into the thick fur, feeling the heartbeat beneath the powerful muscles. Fury purred, the vibration filling Briar's body from head to toe. It hurt, but she didn't mind at all.

She slept deep.

  
  
  


A low growl disturbed her sleep. The pain returned as Briar opened her eyes. Beside her, Fury sat rigid, the canine head turned away. Again, the Beast growled. Briar tensed, listening. 

The lock on the door clicked. She swallowed and closed her eyes again. Behind her eyelids light flowed into the room, the hinges squealing as the door opened.

"What the-" Hoodie said. "Fury, how the hell did you get in here?"

Another growl left the wolf-like creature, the noise vibrating her whole body. Briar hunched lower behind Fury.

"Seems like she likes the girl," another voice said. It took Briar a moment to recognize the speaker as the man from before, Masky. "Must have found her way in through a vent."

Hoodie sighed.

"We're not going to hurt her," Hoodie said. "We're moving her to the room we cleaned out. She can't stay in here, this room wasn't meant to be used for more than a few days. The new room is better."

Fury growled again. Hoodie grunted.

"Hey, girl," he called out. "You awake?"

The sound coming from the Proxy's mouth made Briar flinch. She looked up from behind Fury's form.

"That's a yes," Masky said.

"Get up," Hoodie said. His tone left nothing to be discussed.

With a nod, Briar shifted. Grinding her teeth against the pain, she forced herself to her hands and knees. Fury whimpered, watching with those intelligent golden eyes. Briar stroked the strange wolf's head.

"I'm okay," she mumbled. It was a lie but she had to reassure her new friend. "It's just - Just a little pain-"

She put her foot onto the floor, pushed up. Agony shot through her, her eyes flooding with tears as the world darkened at the edges. Briar felt the floor give way.

Cigarette smoke hit her nose. Her vision spun as she blinked her eyes. Someone's arms were around her, strong ones, and for a moment, Briar almost thought it was Eyeless Jack. But her sight returned, the pounding blood easing in her ears. She looked up into the white and black mask above her.

Masky adjusted her in his arms.

"She's not going to be able to walk like this," he said.

"Can you carry her?" Hoodie asked.

Briar squirmed. She could walk, she could definitely walk, it was just vertigo, she was going to be fine. But the arms tightened around her, Hoodie's eyes boring into her. Reluctantly, she went limp.

I hate this, she thought, ignoring Masky as he answered. Her legs left the ground as he picked her up. Briar shut her eyes. I hate this so much.

It was far from the first time she'd been carried in her life, but she never ceased to feel humiliated by it. Being carried meant she was vulnerable, helpless, unable to protect herself. It was worse now, being carried in the arms of one of her enemies. He was gentle, holding her like she was a priceless treasure, but what did it matter if they weren't going to let her go? 

I want to go home, Briar thought.

Behind them, claws clicked on the wooden floor. Briar relaxed somewhat. Fury. At least she wouldn't be too alone, for now.

They passed Beastie and Skully. Hoodie greeted the two with a wordless wave, Masky silently nodding as they walked by. Briar looked to the floor, gut twisting, feeling the Proxies' eyes focusing on her. Masky adjusted his grip, pressing her closer to his chest. She squeezed her eyes shut.

"We're almost there," Masky said in a voice so soft, it could only have been meant for her to hear. "Don't be afraid." Briar didn't respond, curling her fingers into her shirt. How could she not be afraid?

A few minutes later, a door squeaked open. Briar opened her eyes again. They stepped into a room, larger than her last cell. A quick glance around showed plastic boxes, made before the first Wave but still in good condition, a door on one side, a bed on the other. No windows, one lamp beside the bed.

Without a word, Masky set her down onto the mattress. It was soft, and surprisingly enough had pillows and a comforter, both well-patched from use. Briar pushed herself until her back pressed against the wall, looking between Masky, who backed away from her, and Hoodie. Hoodie stared back.

“Bathroom,” he pointed at the extra door. “The shower works, use it. Your clothes are in the boxes. I don’t know what Kate found but that’s what you’ll be wearing. The door will be locked, and we’ll bring you your food so long as you don’t misbehave.”

Masky’s face was covered but there was no mistaking the glare he shot his leader. Hoodie didn’t react, didn’t even look at the other. Briar swallowed under Hoodie’s gaze.

“Toby stepped out of line,” Hoodie said, “But I’m not afraid to have this happen again if you cause trouble. I’m not going to tolerate any defiance or disobedience, got it?”

Briar nodded. He said nothing, watching her. She looked away.

“Yes, sir,” she said.

That seemed to please him, though she couldn’t see his face.

“Good,” he said. He finally turned towards Masky. “The damage will heal on its own, eventually, but some first aid might encourage it. That’s your responsibility.”

“I’ll need Skully’s help,” Masky said, his voice tight.

Hoodie cocked his head to one side, as if in disbelief. “Seriously?”

“He’s better at serious injuries than I am, and you know it.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Hoodie said. “But fine. I know what your problem is. If you want Skully’s help, he’ll help you. But this isn’t going to last forever. This might be your only chance.”

“I understand,” Masky said, “Though I doubt that’s true.”

The proxy leader snorted, and looked away. “Fury-”

The mattress creaked as the Beast jumped onto it. Fury sat down beside Briar, and wrapped her fluffy tail around her feet. She had a canine face, but the look of disdain on it was unmistakably feline. 

Hoodie raised his hands in surrender.

“Okay,” he said. “Masky, let’s go.”

Masky nodded. Hoodie shot Briar one last look before heading out the door. The other man followed him, but hesitated, glancing at her over his shoulder. For a moment, Briar thought he would speak, but the door closed and the lock clicked, and she was alone.

Well, mostly.

Fury turned to her, the deep rumble of her purr returning. She nuzzled Briar’s hand, licking it with her rough tongue. Briar ran her hand over the wolf-cat’s head.

“Oh, Fury,” she said over the noise, “What am I going to do?”


End file.
